Notice her special day!!!!

Look at this little girl...

Do you recognize her?

It's an older picture of my Victoria...

The first picture I saw of her.

This precious little girl was in bed then...

And she was still in bed when this more recent picture was taken...

Waiting for a Mama and Papa to love and cherish her...

To bring her home and give her the opportunity to thrive...

The opportunity to go to school...

To receive medical treatment to straighten her legs...

So she can learn to walk...

Victoria's special day of the year is just around the corner...

Her BIRTHDAY is on Monday, December 12...

She will be NINE years old...

Nine years is too long to wait for a Mama!

Instead of hugs and kisses...

Gifts and cake and friends...

Her day will go unnoticed...

She will likely not even know it is her birthday...

This birthday will be spent in bed...

Just like every other day...

SAD

Please notice her day!

Though you can't hug her now and tell her how special she is...

There's something you can do!!!

If you are able...

Would you consider even a small birthday gift donation to her grant fund...

(No gift is too small!)

To help with the expenses of the best gift...

The gift of a Mama and Papa and love?

Your gift helps defray the costs of adoption...

If a child has a large grant it helps give prospective families courage to step out and commit to a child...

(I want to thank those who have donated to Victoria's fund recently!

Last time I looked she had $10 in her fund -- today she has $55!!!!)

Consider sharing Victoria on your blog, Facebook, etc...

Maybe one of your friends or readers could be her Mama!

Will you join me in praying that this is Victoria's last birthday without a family...

That she will be HOME next year for her tenth birthday surrounded with love and family??

This post is a part of the Forget Me Not Friday Linkup organized by Jane!

Please check it out here! And consider linking up a post of your own!

Forgotten Little Darlings

Grab This!

Have you heard of the ANGEL TREE at Reece's Rainbow? The angel tree is a special fundraiser for waiting children with down's syndrome.  If you donate $35 to one of the angel tree children's fund you will get a Christmas ornament with your child's picture on it!  The hope is to raise at least $1000 additional grant money for each child on the tree to help them get a family!  Sadly some of the angel tree darlings wait on the tree year after year...  

Julia is having a special fundraiser & giveaway for some of the children who have been on the angel tree the longest...  (Please go to Julia's blog for details and to be entered to win!)  They have been on the tree for more than one year and still they wait :(  While others have been chosen they've been forgotten and passed by!  These special kids are pictured below!  Donate $5 to any two of them & tell Julia to be entered to win!

Look at these faces!

Notice them now!

Could one of them be yours?

Jin Wu - Isn't he a cutie?

An escort could bring him home to you - NO travel required!

Dear Little Paul looks dejected and alone...

Could you make him feel special and put a light in his eyes?

He needs a mama!

Arina is waiting for someone like you to notice how special she is!

Yegor - Handsome young man waiting to surprise you with all he can learn!

Dmitry - who will see the beauty of his heart?

Mark - Why has no one claimed this cutie?

Meredith - Another waiting darling!

Nikita - Imagine the transformation if he knew he was loved!

Robyn - This big smile could light up your home with extra special joy!

Sergei - He's waiting for you!
He has a $7,230 grant to help you bring him home!

Danila - Eager to know you!

Spencer - Charming young man waiting to capture your heart!

Artem - This beautiful boy could light up your life!

Is money an issue?  Not with this boy -- he has a HUGE grant of $16,777!!!

These beauties are waiting in orphanages for someone to love them and bring them home!

Is one of them yours?

Click here to learn how to adopt!

Please consider donating at least $5 to two of these children to help them find their family and for a chance to win!

You can find their pictures on the angel tree and donate here!

Share their pictures on your blog, facebook, twitter... for another chance to win...

These babies need to be seen...  To be noticed & remembered!

Please go to Julia's blog now for prize details and to have your name entered in the giveaway !

This post is a part of the Forget Me Not Friday Linkup organized by Jane!

Please check it out here! And consider linking up a post of your own!

Giant Christmas Stocking Giveaway!

How would you like to win one of these giant Christmas stockings?

These stockings are stuffed full of goodies...

"These treasures are valued at more than $100 each. We have homemade table runners, pot holders, dish towels, Chex mix, Hockey Pucks; Yankee candles (Home Sweet Home scent, of course); Ultimate Chippers cookie mix; peppermint bark; spiced cider mix; and whatever else is cute at the Hallmark store."

Here are pictures of a few of the items...

You could win one of these stockings when you donate to help bring James and Rafferty home!

Tyler & Ruth Tadema have committed to adopting both of these beautiful boys!

James & Rafferty will be the first children in their family!

They hope to travel to meet them in December!

Click here for details and to participate!

Check here on December 12 to find out if you won!

This post is part of a Sharing Sunday blog link-up hosted by Jane!

Do check it out and consider linking up a post of your own!

Let them make you proud!

Look at these beautiful boys!

Pryce - From his profile: Very smart, friendly, good memory, likes to recite poems...

Don't they look like they would make fine sons!

Carter - From his Profile: Smart, friendly, WANTS TO BE ADOPTED!

Boys you could be proud to call your own?

Patrick - From his Profile: "He is a smart, inquisitive, very friendly and kind boy. His DREAM is to have a FAMILY and loving parents. He KNOWS he is facing a TRANSFER to an institution for disabled children of older age, where he will not have a chance to develop his potential." He is "high enough functioning cognitively to recognize and fear the next transfer." (Emphasis added.)

Boys you could train to be real men!

Marcus - From a facilitator who met him: "I personally saw this boy and talked to him. He is a very smart boy. Unfortunately he cannot walk at all, and he uses a wheelchair.... He told me that he WANTS TO BE ADOPTED., and that's why he allowed to make a picture of him. He did not want to demonstrate his disability, so he covered his legs with a blanket. " (Emphasis added.)

Boys you could inspire to make their mark on the world...

Maxim - "Maxim is one of the MOST ENGAGING and LOVABLE children you ever could meet. He picks up English very easily.... He was tested recently to see if he could get an operation in Ukraine to help him. There are no physicians in Ukraine that can help Maxim. Physicians have been contacted in the U.S. and we believe he can be helped." (Emphasis added)

Are you up for the challenge?

Emmitt - From his Profile: "Emmitt is a sweet boy. He is living in one of the mental institutions, and has been for many years, yet he remains sweet, intelligent, and kind. Two of our adopting families met him while they were there, and are pleading for a family to save him." From a family who met him: "He is very friendly, funny, and talkative. He desperately seeks out attention.... He is extremely intelligent, and just precious!"

Can't you see them sitting around your table next Thanksgiving....

Playing with cousins and having a blast at the next family gathering?

Which one will it be?

They need a Dad to look up to...

To teach them to be men...

They need a mother to love and encourage them that they can do it...

Family to believe in them...

To give them the inspiration and opportunity to be all that they can be...

Could you give even one of them the chance?

Let them make you proud!

For more information on any of these boys click the link under their picture!

If you can't adopt them...

Could you share their story to increase their chance of finding a family?

Could you pray for them or donate to their fund?

They need a chance...

They need to come home!

This post is a part of the Forget Me Not Friday Linkup organized by Jane!

Please check it out here! And consider linking up a post of your own!

Who will make her smile?

Have you met this little one?

This is Lyla (Lilianna on Reece's Rainbow).

She just had her 2nd birthday...

She has big blue eyes...

But where is her smile?

She doesn't know how much she is loved!

She had family who were eagerly planning to adopt her...

They were planning to name her Lyla.

Sadly, Lyla's heart condition landed her in the hospital.

Doctors did not expect her to live...

So the family adopted another child.

Now...

Against all odds...

Lyla has recovered sufficiently to be listed for adoption again!

God must have great plans for her -- He preserved her life for a reason!

Who will get to watch those plans unfold?

Who will put a smile on sweet Lyla's face?

Who will step out and bring her home so she can get the love and medical care she needs...

So she can grow and thrive and smile and laugh?

Could you be her Mama?

Or could you share her story to help her Mama find her?

Click here to find out more about Lyla or donate to her grant fund!

Dear Sarah at Mathew 18:14 blogs for many orphans...

But she has given Lyla a special spot on her blog...

She's putting her picture at the bottom of EVERY post till she gets a family!

I got these pictures from her post about Lyla here.

In honor of Lyla's birthday Sarah is doing a blog link-up to help her family find her...

Won't you join the link up and help spread the word about Lyla?

By the way...

Sarah and her friend Rachel have a blog where they sell lovely crocheted items to raise money for orphans...

Check it out here -- maybe you can find some Christmas gifts and help orphans at the same time!

Please Pray for Lyla!

This post is part of TWO link-ups!

The first is a special one organized by Sarah for posts about Lyla/Liliana (or that at least have her picture & link in them).

The second is for "Forget-me-not Friday as detailed below.

Feel free to join both link-ups

This post is a part of the Forget Me Not Friday Linkup organized by Jane!

Please check it out here! And consider linking up a post of your own!

Your name their treasure!

Would you like to help make a treasure for three little boys?

You can!

Bradley, Bryant, and Brooks' Grandma is making quilts for each of them!

Grandma will stitch the name of EVERY person who helps bring them home on their quilt...

So the boys will have a tangible token of how very loved they are by family, friends, and strangers too!

If you would like to be a part of their very special quilts go here to read more and donate!

As you can image -- adopting three children is expensive!

I know the family will appreciate any donations given...

And the boys will have a memento to treasure!

This post is part of a Sharing Sunday blog link-up hosted by Jane!

Do check it out and consider linking up a post of your own!

How one family made a HUGE difference!

I read a great story yesterday on Rachelle's blog. It was about a family back in the 1950s who were touched by the plight of war orphans in Korea. Back then international adoption was almost unheard of. ( Even with domestic adoptions children were matched to look as much like their adoptive family a possible so that no one would know they were adopted -- it was a secret!) The family first sent money to help the orphans, then decided to do more. They tried to decide how many kids they could provide for and settled on EIGHT! (sadly one of the little girls was too sick and weak and died before she got to the US.) Washington, however said they could only adopt two. They would have to petition both houses of congress to change the law -- and they did! Not only that, before congress had made their decision, the Dad went over to choose the kids and care for them in Korea until permission was granted! As a result of all the letters the couple received asking how to adopt, Holt International Children's Services was started! -- As a result, many, many children have been adopted! What an amazing story! Please go to Rachelle's blog and read more (there are a few pictures there too)!

Rachelle and her family are adopting Gideon (Eddie on RR) and hopefully another little boy as well! They are just waiting for a travel date!

Even though most people cannot adopt eight children, everyone can do something! Whether you are able to adopt one or more, or donate to help others, or advocate for orphans, or even "just" pray (really the most important part!)...You never know how God may bless your efforts! He could use YOU to change the world! God can bless the smallest gift or effort! Remember the widow's mite?

"And He saw a poor widow putting in two small copper coins. And He said, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all of them; for they all out of their surplus put into the offering; but she out of her poverty put in all that she had to live on." Luke 21:2-4 NASB

This poor widow's example has encouraged many to give who might otherwise have thought their gift too small to make a difference! Every little bit adds up! The influence of her gift has resulted in gifts far exceeding all that the rich people gave that day!

Here's one child you could make a difference for...

Francine

You could even win some great prizes!

Act before November 23 so you can have a chance to win!

(And if it's after November 23 when you read this -- you can still give! Finding a family for Francine and helping them afford to bring her home is the best prize of all!)

Please share her story! Perhaps you know her family!

You never know how God will use you! Remember, no gift or prayer is too small for God to use!

This post is part of a Sharing Sunday blog link-up hosted by Jane!

Do check it out and consider linking up a post of your own!